New Sandspruit Bridge to open Sandton route for Rea Vaya

Widened roads, upgraded walkways, new bridges - Rea Vaya's Phase 1C extension will lay down much more than just BRT infrastructure between the CBD, Alex and Sandton.

The completed first section of the new Sandspruit Bridge on Katherine Street in Sandton. (Photo by Elias Nkabinde - CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VERSIONS)

The Phase 1C extension of the Rea Vaya bus rapid transit (BRT) network will see much more than just the establishment of BRT infrastructure between central Joburg, Alexandra and Sandton.

All along Rea Vaya's 16km new trunk route, roads and bridges will be upgraded, sidewalks widened, lighting and signalling improved, dedicated walking-cycling pathways created, and two brand new bridges - one for BRT buses and pedestrians, the other for cyclists and pedestrians - built across the M1 highway.

This massive infrastructure outlay is aimed not merely at easing the flow of traffic, but at establishing the transport backbone for a whole new Corridor of Freedom along this strategic route through the north-eastern quadrant of the city.

From a two-lane to a six-lane bridge

Resident Engineer Trevor Nxumalo looking northwards over the first two operational lanes. The completed bridge will have six lanes, with the two central lanes reserved for BRT. (Photo by Elias Nkabinde - CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VERSIONS)

Among the improvements that Sandton commuters can look forward to is a completely rebuilt Sandspruit Bridge, which will be both higher than the old Sandspruit Bridge - and therefore better protected when the Sandspruit River is in flood - and considerably wider.

The old, two lane-bridge was completely unsuited to the volumes of traffic that daily traverse the section of Katherine Street between Grayston and Marlboro Drives.

The new, six-lane bridge will spell the end to traffic bottlenecks at this point, while opening the way for the dedicated BRT lane being built along Katherine Street, all the way from West Street in the Sandton CBD to the new BRT bridge under construction less than a kilometre from Sandspruit Bridge.

According to Siyabonga Genu, senior development manager at the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), which is spearheading Rea Vaya's Phase 1C build, construction of the new Sandpruit Bridge began in November 2014. The multi-million rand project has just entered its second phase, with projected completion in September 2016.

Easing the flow of traffic, establishing the transport backbone for a new Corridor of Freedom. (Photo by Elias Nkabinde - CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VERSIONS)

Resident Engineer Trevor Nxumalo, speaking during an on-site interview on 13 January, explained that phase one "involved the completion of the western section of the new bridge, the diversion of traffic onto the new section and the demolition of the old bridge, which took place in November last year.

"For phase two, we are now building the next two-thirds of the bridge and have started laying a new concrete foundation base that will underpin the eastern section of the bridge."

Phase 1C infrastructure, timelines

Rea Vaya's dedicated BRT lane will occupy the two central lanes of the Sandspruit bridge, with two lanes either side for ordinary traffic.

All along Katherine Street, BRT construction will be accompanied by upgrades to the ordinary traffic lanes, traffic signals, sidewalks, street lighting and signage, and in some cases underground services.

The section of Katherine Street beyond the BRT bridge, turning right onto Marlboro Drive and left onto the M1 north onramp, is not being ignored, either. Road widening and upgrading of kerbs and sidewalks is currently under way, with traffic congestion set to be eased by the provision of three right-turning lanes off Katherine into Marlboro Drive.

And the phase 1C expansion as a whole will include the establishment of high-quality cycling and pedestrian routes and the integration of Rea Vaya with other modes of public transport. This will include:

A new state-of-the-art public transport interchange in Alexandra;

A five-kilometre dedicated walking-cycling pathway, incorporating an iconic bridge over the M1, to accommodate the more than 10 000 people who walk between Alexandra and the Sandton CBD every day; and

A new transport system in the Sandton CBD that incorporates the Gautrain station, pedestrians and cyclists.

The bulk of this is scheduled to be complete by April 2017, after which Rea Vaya services between Sandton, Alexandra and the CBD will begin, followed by the introduction of Rea Vaya feeder routes to extend the network to Rosebank, Randburg, Greenstone, Ivory Park, Rabie Ridge and Midrand.